Troopers won’t investigate alleged witness tampering

MAT-SU — The Alaska State Troopers will not investigate possible witness tampering alleged by state Rep. Les Gara, D-Anchorage, following the refusal of 10 Troopergate witnesses to honor their subpoenas in September.

In an Oct. 2 letter from Col. Audie Holloway, Gara’s request for an investigation was turned down because AST cannot dedicate resources for the investigation, among other reasons, Holloway says.

“While you raise a serious issue, AST would not be able to investigate this type of crime with our current workload of other important investigations,” Holloway says in the letter.

Holloway also acknowledges possible accusations of bias if the troopers investigate, since one of Troopergate’s central figures, Palmer-based Trooper Mike Wooten, is still an active member of the force.

“AST would also be placed in the awkward position of investigating the attorney general, who has filed a complaint with the judiciary to determine the validity of the subpoenas,” Holloway writes.

Holloway’s letter was written eight days before the Legislative Council voted to make the Troopergate probe public. The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman obtained a copy of the letter through a public records request.

On Friday, Gara said he sought an investigation into witness tampering because he felt someone in the McCain-Palin campaign had instructed witnesses not to talk.

“Ten witnesses were willing to testify, then all of a sudden they’re not willing to show up for a subpoena,” Gara said, referring to some of Gov. Sarah Palin’s aides.

The Troopergate investigation became mired in controversy after Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain chose Palin as his running mate.

Initially, Palin agreed to cooperate with the Legislature’s probe, saying she had nothing to hide and an investigation would prove that.

After being introduced as the GOP’s vice presidential candidate, Palin refused to go along with the Legislature’s investigation, calling it a partisan attack. Shortly after, a group calling itself the Palin Truth Squad held almost daily press conferences trying to discredit the Legislature’s investigation.

“On Aug. 30, a bunch of McCain folks came up here, and starting on the 30th no one was talking,” Gara said.

After a court battle to halt the probe, brought on by six Republican lawmakers — including Valley state Reps. Wes Keller and Carl Gatto — was thrown out of court, the Troopergate probe proceeded.

The report concludes Palin abused her power by trying to get her former brother-in-law, Wooten, fired.

Gara isn’t done yet, and AST’s inability to investigate witness tampering isn’t being seen as a deadend.

“I was going to contact the attorney general next week,” Gara said, adding he will ask Attorney General Talis Colberg to appoint an independent investigator to look into any potential witness tampering.

“It’s a crime to ‘induce’ somebody not so show up for a subpoena,” Gara said.

The McCain-Palin campaign could not be reached for comment Saturday.

Another investigation looking at abuse of power accusations against Palin is ongoing in the state’s Personnel Board. The board’s investigator, Anchorage trial lawyer Timothy Petumenos, is scheduled to meet with the Palins sometime at the end of this month. Petumenos is reported to have contributed to Palin’s 2006 gubernatorial opponent, Tony Knowles, during that election cycle.

It’s unclear when the Personnel Board’s investigation will be complete, but most lawmakers expect it after the Nov. 4 presidential election.

Contact Michael Rovito at michael.rovito@frontiersman.com or 352-2252.